Spread the love.

My grandparents always have had the best recipes that have been passed down and refined for generations, so I’m excited to share their bbq sauce recipe with all of you.  And, when you find out how easy it is to make, I’m hoping this recipe will make it into your upcoming family BBQ’s too! 

History Behind the BBQ

Grandma & Grandpa H. lived at a house that was on the lake while we were growing up, and also had a pool, so we found ourselves over there frequently in the summertime. 

And in Minnesota summers, everything is cooked on the grill. Our grandparents would let us pick our favorite dinners when we would come over, and the bbq sauce on a grilled chicken breasts was one of my top tier selections. 

We even got to go to their house and have a weekend to ourselves as grandkids – away from our siblings & parents, just to enjoy the lake life with Grandma & Grandpa. While they’d cook on my weekend away, I would hangout in the kitchen and they would tell stories of how these recipes came, recounting the memories that went along with each one. 

Some of my favorite memories with my grandparents are learning the in’s and out’s in the kitchen, from them teaching me different techniques, recipes, to using kitchen tools/utensils.

My grandma also taught me how to make my first apple pie… maybe a recipe I should share this fall?! My grandpa was very meticulous in the kitchen as well, but the best thing he made for us was his fresh, over the stove popped popcorn. 

Old & New Family Traditions

And as you may know, my dad is a current restaurant co-owner at Thirty Bales in Hopkins, MN, and prior to that, the beloved Big Ten Restaurant, so cooking runs in my blood.

I grew up working in the restaurant industry as a hostess, and then a server even through college when I’d come home for the summers. 

While my family loves being in the kitchen & whipping up new creations like my smoked queso dip, we still aim to keep those long time traditional family recipes afloat and implement them in our weekly menus. That is where this bbq sauce recipe comes into play.

This recipe actually stems from my great Grandma’s recipe, which my grandparents then refined over the years. 

Ingredients

• 20 oz of Heinz ketchup
• 10 oz of A1 sauce
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 20-25 shakes of hot sauce, preferably Crystal or Tapatio 
• 2 TBSP of honey

To craft the BBQ sauce, you’ll want to add all of the ingredients into a small saucepan on medium heat and mix well. Once the sauce has been brought to a slow boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 additional minutes, stirring occasionally.

It’s as easy as that! You can serve warm, or put in a jar for another night’s meal. And if you meal prep, this is the perfect, easy thing to add to your list as it’s so versatile and can be used for many meals throughout the week. 

While at Grandma & Grandpa’s house in the summertime, they’d often serve the bbq sauce on a grilled chicken breast, with chicken flavored Rice-a-Roni and steamed broccoli.

If you love the bbq sauce as much as I do, you’ll be drizzling it over the entire plate before you know it. 

In our house now, we continue to serve this on a grilled chicken breast, on chicken wings, as a sauce on cocktail meatballs, or as a dipping sauce for whatever you’re cooking!

It’s a great dipping sauce for french fries, or drizzled on a salad as well. 

Hoping that the ease of this recipe entices you to try it out and keep it stocked in your fridge for weeks to come!